Vapor-cooling system for internal-combustion engines



June 14, 1927. 1,632,586

L. P. BARLOW VAPOR COOLING SYSTEM FOR INT ERNflL vC OMBUSTION ENGINES Filed Jan. 20, 1927 INVENTOR.

Lastr P6273021 I ATTORNEY.

,the heat of the engine and will be supplied Patented June 14, 1927'.

UNITED STATES 1,632,58 PATENT OFFICE.

LESTER P. IBABLOW, F STAMFORD, CONNECTICUT.

VAPOR-COOLING SYSTEM FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES. 3

Application filed January 20, 1927. Serial No. 162,359.

My invention relates to vapor cooling systems for internal combustion engines and has for its object to provide a cooling system of this type in which the cooling liquid will be maintained out of the influence of denser and admitting a portion only of the cooling liquid so circulated to the cylinder jacket and returning the excess of liquid independent of the jacket.

A further object of this invention is to provide a by-pass for excess of liquid not required by the cylinder jacket and yielding means controlling the by-pass.

With the objects above indicated and other objects hereinafter described my invention consists in the construction of elements hereinafter described and claimed.

Referring to the, drawings:

' Figure 1 is a side view of an internal combustion engine of the type commonly used in automobiles, partly broken away, showing my improve cooling apparatus applied thereto, and

Figure 2 is a vertical, longitudinal, sectional view showing the connection box and valve construction. I

In the drawings 1 indicates the engine cylinder block with the usual water jacket. 2 indicates a 'va or space or steam dome connected with t e water jacket and ex.- tending a considerable distance above it.

-.3 indicates a condenser in communication bly arranged asshown, below and to one' side of the-engine so as to-be out of the influence of radiated or conducted heat from the engine. This make up reservoir 9 is in communication through inlet pipe 10 with the lower end of the condenser so as to reupper end of the condenser 3. denser being-1n communication with the atceive the condensed cooling liquid by gravity therefrom. The reservoir is also in communication through pipe 11 with the intake of a pump 12, preferably a reciprocating plunger pump operated by eccentric 13 on shaft 14 driven by any convenient means from the engine shaft 7. The discharge of pump 12 is in communication by pipe 15,

with opening 16 in a distributing box 17. Th1s distributing box is provided with side opening 18 whichis in' communication by plpe 19 with opening 20in the wall of the cylinder jacket above the level of the liquidin the jacket. On the inside of opening 20 is a tube 21 with valve seat 22 at its inner end adapted to receive valve 23 carried by the vertical arm 24 of a bell crank lever pivoted at 25 to the wall of the jacket. The horizontal arm 26 of the bell crank lever carries at its end a float 27.

The distributing box is provided with a partition 28 having opening 29 through it normally closed by valve disc 30 pressed agamst the valve seat by a light spring 31 .carried byv screw plug 32. From a point above the partition 28 an opening 33 leads to returnpipe 34 which leads back to the intake of the pump 12, preferably to the tank 9. i

i The condenser is rovided with vent 35 and tank 9 is pre erably provided -with vent 36.

In the operation of the invention the "vapor'generat/ed in the jacket by the heat from the engine cylinders passes by pipe 4 to the mosphere through vent 35 the vapors pass freely to the condenser and at the same time the pressure in the condenser cannot be below atmospheric pressure. The liquid condnsed from the vapors flow by gravity to the make up reservoir 9. This reservoir thus acts as a. sump for the condensates. It

is so located with reference to the engi that? it will not be appreciably, if at all, affected by the heat of the engine either by conduction or radiation. This condition may be conveniently brought about by placing the reservoir below the level of the engine shaftand to one side of the crank case. The particular position is not material so long as it is out of the influence of heat; from the engine. The condensed liquid from the condenser may of course, be more or less warm The conand will have a slight heating effect upon the liquid in the reservoir, a relief valve or vent 36 allows escape of vapors or air which may accumulate in the reservoir.

Pump 12 draws the cooling liquid, which may be water alone, or mixed with alcohol or other liquid of low freezing point, and forces it through pipe 15 to the distributing box 17 which it enters-through opening 16 and, if the liquid in the jacket is at a level low enough to permit the valve 23 to be drawn away from its seat by float 27, more or less of the cooling liquid passes through pipe 19 into the jacket, the flow continuing until the liquid in the jacket lifts the float far enough to move valve 23 into contact with its seat 22. When the flow of the liquid into the jacket is thus stopped the pressure of the inflowing liquid from the pump will raise valve disc 30 against the force of spring 31 and the liquid will then flow through the opening 29 and opening 33 into return pipe 34 by which it is led back to the reservoir 9 or otherwise to the intake side of the pump. Whenever the speed of the e11- gine and consequently the speed of the pump is such that the liquid forced into the distributing box is greater in volume than can be admitted to the jacket through pipe 19, the pressure will lift valve 30 and the excess of liquid will pass to the return pipe 34.

The distributing box 17 is shown as located near the engine but may be located at any desired oint but should be at such distance from the en ine that it will not be appreciably afi'ected y heat radiated from the en no. The pipe 19 will ordinarily be cooled y the cooling liquid passing through it so that it will not to any appreciable extent conduct heat from the engine to the distributing box.

The float serves to maintain a constant level of liquid in the jacket. The liquid circulated by the pump should be in volume somewhat in excess of what will be needed to maintain a predetermined level in the jacket. The pipes 15 and 34 being spaced away from the engine and being more or less exposed to air currents serve to cool the liquid circulated throughthem and thus to overcome the heating effect of the condensates entering the reservoir from the condenser.

While the apparatus of my invention is herein shown in connection with an automobile engine it is to be understood that it may be used in connection with any internal combustion engine and will be found of particular value and importance in connection with the engines of aeroplanes and other air craft.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim 1s:-

1. In a cooling system for internal combustion engines the combination with 9, cylinder jacket of means i6r supplying cooling liquid to said jacket comprising means for circulating the cooling liquid without passing through said jacket and means for so controlling the admission of liquid from said circuit to the jacket as to maintain the cooling liquid in the jacket at a predetermined level comprising a float within the jacket and a valve controlled by said float.

2. In a cooling system for internal combustion engines the combination of a cylinder jacket having a vapor space at its upper end, a condenser in communication with said vapor space, a make up reservoir in communication with the condenser, a pump arranged to draw liquid from the make up reservoir, a connection leading from the delivery side' of the pump and a connection leading back to the intake side of the pump, the pump and'connections forming a continuous circuit, an opening from said circuit: for admitting liquid to the cylinder jacket, and a valve for said opening and means for controlling said valve.

3. In a cooling system for internal combustion engines the combination of a cylinder jacket having a vapor space at its upper end, a condenser in communication with said vapor space, a make up reservoir in communication with the condenser, a pump arranged to draw liquid from the make up reservoir, a connection leadin from the delivery side of the pump and a connection leading back to the intake side of the pump, the pump and connections forming a continuous circuit, an opening from said circuit for admitting liquid to the cylinder jacket, a valve for said opening and means controlled by the liquid within the jacket for controlling said valve.

4. In a cooling system for internal combustion en ines the combination of a cylinder jacket having a vapor space at its upper end, a condenser in communication with said vapor space, a makeup reservoir in communication with the condenser, a pump arranged to draw liquid from the make up reservoir, a connection leading from the delivery side of the pump and a connection leading back to the intake side of the pump, the pump and connections forming a continuous' circuit, an o ening from said circuit for admitting liquid to the cylinder jacket, a valve for said opening, a float controlled by the level of the liquid within the jacket for controllin said valve.

5. In a cool ing system for internal combustion en ms the combination of a cylinder jacket aving a vapor space at its upper end, a condenser in communication with said vapor space, a make up reservoir in communication with the condenser, a pump arranged to draw liquid from the make up 'reservoir, a connection leadin from the delivery side of the pump'and a connection leading back to the intake side of the pump, the pump and connections forming a continuous circuit, an opening from said circuit to the cylinder jacket, a valve for said opening and a float Within the vapor space of the jacket for controlling the valve.

6. In a cooling system for internal combustion engines the combination of a cylinder jacket having a vapor space at its upper end, a condenser in communication with said vapor space, a make up reservoir in communication with the condenser, a pump arranged todraw liquid from the make up reservoir, a pipe leading from the delivery side of the pump and a pipe leading back to the intake side of the pump, the pump and pipes forming a continuous circuit, a yielding resistance between said pipes, an opening from said circuit for admitting liquid to the cylinder jacket, a valve for said opening and means for controlling said valve.

7. In a cooling system for internal combustion engines the combination of a cylinder jacket having a vapor space at its upper end, a condenser in communication with said vapor space, a make up reservoir in communieation. with the condenser, a pump arpipe leading back from the distributing box to the intake side of the pump, the pump. plpes forming a continuous circuit, an"

and opening from said-distributing box for admitting liquid to the cylinder jacket, a valve for said opening, means for controlling said valve and means within the distributing box for checking the flow into the return pipe.

8. In'an internal combustion engine vapor cooling system which is open continuously to the atmosphere and operating at all times at atmos heric pressure, the combination with 8. cy inder jacket, of means for supplying cooling liquid to said jacket comprising means for circulating the cooling liquid Without passing through said jacket, and float actuated means for s0 controlling the admission of liquid from saidcircuit to the jacket as to maintain the cooling liquid in the jacket at a predetermined level.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto aflix my signature.

LESTER P. BARLOW. 

